This Resume is Just Right

Some days, job seekers must feel a bit like Goldilocks as they try to submit just the right resume to prospective employers. Show too much education and experience and you might be labeled overqualified. Fail to meet the basic hiring criteria, and you risk being cast aside as under qualified. The problem was highlighted recently when The Wall Street Journalspoke to three job seekers who admitted dumbing down their resumes to keep them out of the "overqualified" round file.

Job seekers often wonder why employers won’t jump at the chance to bring on a more highly qualified candidate. Their fear is that bored, under-employed techies will take a position, then leave as soon as the market heats up. Omitting a master’s degree might not be completely truthful: After all, if the resume heading reads "education." But add the word "relevant" to your education section and you’re being accurate and crafty. Certainly job seekers need to tailor their experience to fit a position, so reviewers don’t get lost in superfluous data. Here are some ways to solve the problem, as presented by the Journal.

YOUR CAREER. YOUR PATH.

Author Bio

Leslie Stevens-Huffman is a business and careers writer based in Southern California. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the staffing industry and has been writing blog posts, sample resumes and providing sage career advice to the IT professionals in our Dice Community since 2006. Leslie has a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism from the University of Southern California.